by Jim Corbett, USA TODAY Sports

by Jim Corbett, USA TODAY Sports

There's no telling what will happen Thursday at New York's Radio City Music Hall when the Houston Texans go on the clock with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.

Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome considers himself closer to Texans GM Rick Smith than anyone else in the league. Yet Newsome concedes, "I have no idea what Rick is going to do with that first pick."

But DeCosta predicted the proceedings will be driven by quarterback need, and the draft is wide open because teams have diverse opinions on a class of signal-callers lacking a can't-miss player such as Indianapolis Colts 2012 top pick Andrew Luck.

If the Texans keep the first overall pick, they're expected to select Clowney. But they are hoping to auction the top pick in return for more selections and snag their franchise quarterback later down the line. Houston might have its eye on Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel and Central Florida's Blake Bortles.

"The quarterback situation is an interesting dynamic. You could see three guys go before we pick," said DeCosta, referencing Baltimore's 17th overall selection. "It's not like in some years where you've got Sam Bradford as the first pick or you knew Matt Ryan was a top-five pick.

"Every team has a different quarterback list. So with that aspect of the draft, it is uncertain. What I've learned about the quarterback position is one man's trash is another guy's franchise quarterback. Everybody sees that position very, very different. When we drafted Joe Flacco, nobody initially thought Joe Flacco was a first-round pick. He was to us."

A difference of opinion between two highly respected former evaluators crystallizes this draft's great debate: take ultra-athletic Clowney or dynamic, enigmatic Manziel?

"I have Manziel rated first overall," former Dallas Cowboys personnel guru Gil Brandt told USA TODAY Sports. "You have to ask yourself, 'Who is going to affect the game more?' I just think the quarterback is more important than Clowney."

Clowney reminds former Buffalo Bills general manager Bill Polian of Hall of Fame defensive end Bruce Smith, the 1985 top pick of the Bills who finished his career with a league-record 200 sacks.

"You would have to be blind not to see the talent in Clowney," Polian told USA TODAY Sports. "The talent is absolutely unique, the 6-5, 266-pound size, 83-inch wingspan, speed, the explosiveness. ... It's what the Texans found out in the process of evaluation about the intangible part. That (inconsistent motor) needs to be investigated."

Polian said Bortles probably will be the first quarterback selected based on his prototypical 6-5, 232-pound size.

Brandt wouldn't be surprised if Houston takes Mack first.

"Mack is the safer pick of he and Clowney. There's no lack of competitiveness with Mack," Brandt said. "With Clowney, you're either going to hit a grand slam or strike out."